My prima ballerina...

Yesterday was the first day of dance class for Claire...and boy was she excited!
I had set out her dance clothes the night before and as soon as she got up, she wanted to get dressed immediately. She looked so cute in her little leotard and tights.

As soon as she was all dressed she was very eager to show her brothers her new dance outfit. When Frank saw her he said, "Claire make sure you dance real good!" and Logan said, "Make sure you smack your bottom when you dance!" (lovely...huh?) Regardless, their words were meant to encourage her, and it was sweet to see the boys excited for Claire's new thing.

When we got to the class (it's only for an hour once a week) Claire did not hesitate at all...(in addition to her overall excitement her friend Lauren is in the same class).

Lauren and Claire outside of the dance studio...so sweet!

As soon as Claire received her name tag from the teacher, she joined the other girls. Since the teachers prefer that parents not be in the room during the class I ran some errands while the class was going on.

When I returned Claire was full of information about the class. I asked her what her tap shoes sounded like when she wore them she said, "Well, when we were stomping on dinosaurs...it sounded like we were breaking glass." (I love teacher explanations for an almost 4 year old.) She was telling me the name of some of the girls as well as a few of the activities they did. She clearly had a great time and loved it!

Today she asked me how many days until her next class. When I gave her the count down to next Monday I realized that due to Labor Day the next class will be cancelled therefore she won't have another class for 13 more days. I better come up with something pretty amazing for this coming Monday or I'm going to have a very disappointed little girl.

Well, until later...

My baby is a year and a half old...

Mary Kate turned a year and a half the other day...and again, I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around this...where has the time gone?

18 month pictures...I usually only get one pose, but got suckered into the one with the flower...really, who could have resisted?

She has grown and changed so much over the year. She is so darn cute (if I may say so myself)! For the most part she is a typical and happy little girl. She loves to swim, run around with her brothers and sister, cuddle with her OHHH SO soft yellow blanket (thank you Bish Family), giggle, suck her thumb (when the time comes...any suggestions on how to take that away???), take off her shoes every chance she gets, demonstrate her temper tantrum abilities, babble (and is starting to put words together...the latest, "Hi baby!" (thanks Mer:), make others feel welcome, and my favorite...smile! She is not shy...which right now is cute...but makes me a little worried about what her teenage years might look like:)

Believe it or not, my 4th child is still teaching me new things about being a parent, and although she only has 9 more weeks to hold the title of "the baby" in our family...no one can take away her number 4 status! I am so blessed to have her in my life!

Well, until later...

And he's off...

Today was Logan's first day of school. He is a big time 1st grader now at St. Thomas More. I've been having trouble wrapping my brain around the fact that this day is already here. It wasn't all that long ago that he was a little baby needing all of my help and care to get through the day...days when I knew exactly all that was happening in his life.

One of my all time favorite pictures of Logan (3 months old)...it makes me giggle every time I see it!

Logan's new 6 year picture...a little late...but better late that never:)

Now, he's 6 years old and getting on a bus, going to a new school, meeting new friends, learning new things...and I'm not the key player any longer. I am so proud of the young man he is turning into and excited to hear all about this new adventure...but I can't help to be a little sad that he's growing up way too fast...and he may out grow me.

We were all up and outside waiting to see Logan get on the bus this morning except for Jeff. (Jeff was bummed when he realized that he would be in Hawaii for work on Logan's first day of school. However Jeff set his alarm (there is a 6 hour time difference between here and Hawaii) so that he could talk to Logan this morning and wish him good luck on his first day of school. I wish I was thinking ahead and had my camera ready for the call...Logan was smiling ear to ear to hear from his Dad:) I think Frank, Claire, and Mary Kate were as excited as Logan for his first day...although as the morning into afternoon wore on...Frank kept asking when Logan was going to be home.

Logan and (our neighbor) Andrew...they were excited to know that they would be in the same class again this year:)

Lauren (Andrew's sister), Logan, and Andrew waiting in our driveway for the bus

As Logan got on the bus I held it together pretty well...only a little tearing up. I think it helped that as soon as I turned around I still had Frank, Claire, and Mary Kate here to keep me busy and take my mind off it. But, as they all went down for naps and I had some quiet time to myself, it hit me...and I let myself have a good cry. Silly???...maybe...but I can't help to think back to those 6 precious years that I had him all to myself...and now he's off to a new chapter in his life that I pray he will let me be a part of.

Well, that's all for now...

Bridal shower...

Awhile back I had mentioned that I volunteered to do the invitations for my future sister in law's bridal shower. Initially I thought I had 50 to do, but as it turns out it ended up being 60. A little intimidating at first, but once the design was set, all I had to do was assemble them. Here is the finished product.

It's a little hard to see, but there are tiny pink hearts falling down on the umbrella. Hopefully this close up shows it a little bit better. This would also be a cute invitation for a baby shower...change up the colors and instead of hearts...substitute little baby buggies falling.

The assembly process...almost finished...adding the hearts to each invitation. As a gift to the bride to be...I am making her 40 thank you cards. I came up with these two designs. I couldn't decide which one to do for all 40 so I'm going to do 20 of each.

Next on the agenda...the wedding programs. I have a couple of ideas brewing. I'm going to make them then let my brother in law and his fiance decide which one they want to go with. I will be sure to share those when they're hot off the press!

Well, that's all for now...

Just a few cards...

Although I haven't posted many crafty things in the past few weeks...it's not because of lack of creativity or want. With the kids being home getting around to making cards and working on scrapbooks never seems to come when I have the energy. The kids and I have been so on the go this summer that when I am home with some time to spare all I want to do is sleep.

Well, the past few days I have managed to squeeze in a few cards that have been on my mind.

Nothing too fancy...just simple messages put onto bright colored cards. Plus, my card stash was running low and I can't imagine what a friend might say if I had to send them a store bought card...hahaha!

Well, that's all for now...short and sweet...just like the cards:)

PS - The song that is playing is a new favorite! It's the song that plays in the commercials advertising Eat, Love, Pray. The group is Florence + The Machine. I liked the song when I heard it on TV and now this group has caught my attention. Other songs from the group that I have downloaded are Kiss with a Fist and You've got the Love...really, I probably will end up buying the entire album. Check them out...

Rieder #5...

A few weeks ago we had our big ultrasound done...and what a complete relief to see our baby and to know that everything looks as it should at this point in my pregnancy.

This is a front view of the baby, as if the baby were resting on it's back and looking up at you...see it's eyes, nose, chin, and chest???

This is the baby's profile...what a cute little nose...I hope:)

As usual we didn't find out the gender of the baby. I know that drives some people nuts...but we already know the date, the time, and the doctor who will be delivering the baby. We have to leave some element of surprise...right? Plus, so far in life, I have found nothing else that is a better surprise than to hear that it's a boy or a girl when your baby arrives.

As of now Logan, Frank, and even Clarie are rooting for a boy. Mary Kate still doesn't have much of an opinion...all she can mange to say is baby...which I'm pretty sure it will be:) Jeff and I have no preference...just healthy!

We are pretty set on the name if it's a boy...but we're still searching for that perfect girl name. I want a traditional name that goes along with Claire and Mary Kate. I'm open for suggestions.

Well, that's all for now...

10th Annual Rieder Beer Olympics...

Ten years ago Jeff and I began throwing a summer party to get together with friends and family for some fun...

Me and Jeff at the First Annual Rieder Beer Olympics ~ July, 28, 2001

Although the parties have changed quite a bit over the years (our first party had only one kid there...my nephew Nate ~ now the adults are easily out numbered 3 to 1 by the kids, and the title of the party was more appropriate then...does anyone remember the days when we were worried if 6 kegs would be enough...and it wasn't, the marathon event, and sleeping over at our house was a given???)...one thing has remained the same...trying to win a very precious (now) Jeff made t-shirt! (The t-shirt is the prize given to the winner of each event...developed 10 years ago during a night out at Friday's in Colerain with our friends Vicky and Marty.)

This year we held our 10th Annual Rieder Beer Olympics!

(Thanks to our friend Melanie, (she works at a beer distributor), who had this sign made for the party!)

I have to admit...being 6 months pregnant I really tried to talk Jeff out of having the party this summer...but so I'm glad we had it (don't tell him that though...what would I have to hold over his head???...hahaha!) According to the Evite count we had 209 people attend out party (kids included). We had family, friends from childhood, work friends, college friends, neighbors, church friends, and others friends we have met along the way attend our party. It's always fun to have so many friends and family in one place to catch up, relive the old days, and to talk about what's to come!

Over the past ten years hosting the party has gotten a ton easier (having the party catered vs. grilling it ourselves, hiring a babysitter for my kids (as long as my kids need supervising I will ALWAYS get a sitter), bounce houses...now a party MUST HAVE!, a beer tap running outside of our house)...and now with 4 kids (almost 5) clean up will start getting easier as well...hahaha! I can't wait to see what this party looks like in ten more years...as the young kids start becoming competitors in the events taking the t-shirts from their mom's and dad's.

As the party for this summer is over...I look forward to next year's party and what games and such we can have to out top this year's party.

Well, until later...